The leader of the pop group Uchiyamada Hiroshi and Cool Five, popular from the late 1960s through the 1970s, died of lung cancer at a Yokohama hospital on Friday, his office said. He was 70.

Hiroshi Uchiyamada's six-member group, which included lead vocalist Kiyoshi Maekawa, is best known for "Nagasaki wa kyomo amedatta" ("It was Rain Again in Nagasaki"). The band won the 11th Japan Record Award for best new artist in 1969 with the song.

Uchiyamada, who hailed from Fukuoka Prefecture, performed backing vocals and composed songs. He had continued his work until recently.

Maekawa left the group in 1987 to go solo.